Lessons in the Waiting

How patient are you? What do you do while you are waiting?

Overall, I'm not very good at waiting. I'm patient in some areas. For instance, I'll take a slow cooked homemade recipe any day over a fast food variety. But in other ways, I'm terrible. I think that's why I've always treasured the words of Isaiah 40:31. God knows I'm not good at waiting on Him, but He's so good to work on me in this area and encourage me with His Word.

So recently I've been waiting. And it's obvious that I'm terrible at it. I hate how I deal with this time. My first response is to get frustrated. Then I try to figure out ways to work through the waiting. Then I begin to take it out on others. Of course, somewhere in there I probably shed some tears, too. Much of what I do though is focused on my own strengths and reveal my weaknesses.

So how are we supposed to respond to waiting? God's Word gives us instruction to turn our hearts toward God at this time. Psalm 27:14 encourages to be strong and wait on the Lord. I believe His Word also encourages us to be strong for a reason. Waiting isn't twiddling our thumbs. Instead it's digging hard into the disciplines we may not feel like doing as we wait. We are to continue praying, reading His Word, spending time with Him, serving others in love. These are things, I know, but still find hard to apply.

Recently God slowed me down to examine my heart as I wait. I actually find this time around I am thankful for this time of waiting. I'm thankful, because first, the answer to my prayer has been wait and not no. I guess it's selfish, but it's dear to me that the door isn't slammed shut on my hopes. Then as I thought on this more, God helped lead to me to be thankful for the lessons I might learn while I wait, because you see, the answer could still be no. And if the answer is no, I may gain far more than the if the answer is yes and I don't learn some lessons in the waiting. So, I'm rejoicing that God knows best and is going to do a good work through this time. May I come through this time of waiting being more in the image of my Lord!

And may you also rejoice in what God is teaching you whether through the yeses, nos, or waits of life!


I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord my God. Psalm 38:15